The post was one of pivotal responsibility, handling both domestic and foreign affairs, including all correspondence with ambassadors, but its largely undefined powers depended wholly on the secretary’s personal relationship with the sovereign. In 1548 Walsingham enrolled at King’s College, the most ardently Protestant and reformist college of the University of Cambridge, and then in 1552 he was admitted to Gray’s Inn in London to study law. He coolly confronted the French queen, Catherine de Médicis, in a series of tense audiences. Walsingham Abbey is surrounded by 18 acres of stunning grounds and gardens and in Spring, there is a spectacular display of snowdrops. This article was most recently revised and updated by, Official Site of Walsingham, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Walsingham - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). top facts about walsingham Just four miles from Wells-next-the-Sea, on the banks of the River Stiffkey, is the village of Walsingham, which has a long history of religious pilgrimage and wealth of historic buildings dating back to the 11th century. In medieval times Little Walsingham’s shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham attracted pilgrims from many parts of Europe, and the shrine is also a centre of contemporary pilgrimage. He successfully thwarted England’s foreign enemies and exposed domestic plotters who sought to unseat Elizabeth and return a Roman Catholic monarch to the throne. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. His efforts culminated in the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1587. A special pilgrimage church was built in 1931 and enlarged in 1938. Cecil, however, believed that an alliance with France would prevent it from joining forces with Spain and sought to promote a marriage of Elizabeth with a member of the French royal family and to enlist French support for Protestant rebels in the Spanish Netherlands. Norfolk was convicted of treason and was executed in June 1572. The area faces the North Sea slightly east of the mouth of The Wash, a shallow inlet of that sea. His father, a lawyer, died when Walsingham was about two years old. Like Cecil before him, Walsingham made a point of accumulating and mastering a vast array of information and statistics concerning government administration, economics, and practical politics. Agriculture and fishing are important in the area. In 1568 Walsingham bought a house in London and began performing confidential tasks for Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth’s principal secretary. In 1948, the first Student Cross pilgrimage and the great Cross Carrying Pilgrimage for Penance and Prayer took place, putting in place traditions that still continue today. Walsingham was recalled to England at the end of 1573 and was appointed to the Privy Council and named a principal secretary. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Walsingham, area in North Norfolk district, Norfolk, England, that consists of the neighbouring villages of Little Walsingham and Great Walsingham. Ruins of the medieval priory of Walsingham Abbey, North Norfolk, Norfolk, Eng. Walsingham has therefore been venerated as one of the holiest places in England, and countless people have visited the village to ask Mary to pray to Jesus on their behalf. Anticipating methods that would become routine only centuries later in the world’s intelligence services, Walsingham employed double agents, covert propaganda and disinformation, code breaking, and agents provocateurs to advance English interests. In medieval times Little Walsingham’s shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham attracted pilgrims from many parts of Europe, and the shrine is also a centre of … Sir Francis Walsingham, (born c. 1532, Kent, England—died April 6, 1590, London), English statesman and diplomat who was the principal secretary (1573–90) to Queen Elizabeth I and became legendary for creating a highly effective intelligence network. There are also the remains of a 14th-century Franciscan friary. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Acknowledging the failure of his negotiations for an alliance with the French, he informed the Privy Council, “I think less peril to live with them as enemies, than as friends.” Walsingham also concluded that Mary Stuart would be a focal point for Catholic intrigue against England as long as she remained alive. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Walsingham assembled a far-flung network of spies and news gatherers in France, Scotland, the Low Countries, Spain, Italy, and even Turkey and North Africa.